1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a drum type washing machine serves to wash laundry by using a friction force between a rotating drum and the laundry and the laundry dropping from a top to a bottom in the rotating drum. Accordingly, in the drum type washing machine, the laundry is little damaged and is not entangled.
The drum type washing machine includes a tub for holding water therein, a drum rotatably installed in the tub and receiving laundry therein, a driving motor is installed at a rear side of the drum so as to rotate the drum, a rotation shaft for transferring a driving force from the driving motor to the drum, a bearing for supporting the rotation shaft, and a sealing member installed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft in front of the bearing so as to prevent water between the tub and the drum from penetrating into the bearing.
Even though the sealing member is provided in front of the bearing, it is impossible to perfectly prevent the water between the tub and the drum from penetrating into the bearing through a gap between the sealing member and the rotation shaft.
Once the water penetrates into the bearing, the bearing is corroded. Then the corroded bearing cannot stably support the rotation shaft, which results in shaking of the rotation shaft and the drum. As a result, vibration and noise generated while the drum type washing machine is operated, which causes the drum type washing machine to be out of order.